‘European politics on immigration ignore Malta’s interests’ - Sant

Malta’s needs in the sphere of immigration are being ignored by the EU, former prime minister and labour leader Alfred Sant said on his blog on inewsmalta.com

“Huge damage will be done to Maltese interests if we act or appear to act xenophobic. But, a small community like ours will naturally encounter difficulty in helping or absorbing people from different cultures, arriving on our shores in substantial numbers without prior warning or a plan. Our European ‘friends’ are not ready to accept this reality,” Dr Sant said.

Dr Sant, an aspirant MEP in next year’s elections, lamented the lack of burden sharing in the EU’s common European asylum system.

“The same rule will continue to be applied, in that ‘illegal’ immigrants into Europe will be the responsibility of the first country through which they enter. There is no provision for the implementation of a programme of solidarity, in which other EU countries will share the burden with Malta my absorbing some of the immigrants arriving on our shores. As a percentage, Malta has the highest proportion of immigrants in Europe,” Dr Sant continued.

Dr Sant predicts two consequences for Malta, neither of which are particularly rosy.

“Malta may face huge financial and logistical problems in providing the appropriate services to new immigrants. There is also a possibility of increasing discontent in the Maltese people against them,” Dr Sant predicted.